Modular item drying and storage rack

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a stackable module for constructing a modular storage rack for receiving wet items. The module is preferably a one piece construction which is sturdy and inexpensive to construct. The stackable module includes a circumscribing wall, a vertical conduit, and an inclined bottom having projecting vanes. The circumscribing wall has a bottom edge. The vertical conduit is mounted adjacent the wall and has a top opening, a bottom opening and a side opening positioned between the top and bottom openings. The inclined bottom projects from the circumscribing wall adjacent the bottom edge of the wall. The bottom is inclined towards the side opening of the vertical conduit for said bottom to direct liquids towards the side opening of the vertical conduit. The bottom has a plurality of vanes projecting upwards from the bottom, each vane having a top edge, the top edges of the vanes being coplanar and horizontal.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to drying and storage racks constructed of stackable shelve units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Drying racks made of one or more modular shelves are known in the prior art. These shelves are designed to hold items which may be wet and to facilitate their drying by permitting water and debris to drain off of the items and into the rack. Roberge (U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,368) discloses one such unit. The Roberge unit consists of a stack of shelf modules, each module having a tray with a perforated plate for receiving the item mounted on top of an inclined bottom. The tray is supported in a cantilever fashion by walls which define a vertical passage. This passage is formed at the rear of the tray and acts as a supporting structure for holding up the tray and as a vertical conduit for receiving run off liquid and dirt collected by the inclined bottom.

While drying racks such as the one disclosed by Roberge can be effective in drying articles, they suffer from several drawbacks. Firstly, in order for them to securely hold heavy items such as shoes and boots, they must be made of steel. Secondly, the storage rack cannot be placed near clothes since the wet items stored in the Roberge device may accidentally contact the clothes, thereby soiling the clothes. Furthermore, the device is relatively expensive to construct since each tray requires at least two separate parts. An improved item drying rack which is sturdy, inexpensive to construct and which contains wet soiled items securely would be well received.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a stackable module for constructing a modular storage rack for receiving items delivering liquid. The stackable module includes a circumscribing wall, a vertical conduit, and an inclined bottom having projecting vanes. The circumscribing wall has a bottom edge. The vertical conduit is mounted adjacent the wall and has a top opening, a bottom opening and a side opening positioned between the top and bottom openings. The inclined bottom projects from the circumscribing wall adjacent the bottom edge of the wall. The bottom is inclined towards the side opening of the vertical conduit for said bottom to direct liquids towards the side opening of the vertical conduit. The bottom has a plurality of vanes projecting upwards from the bottom, each vane having a top edge, the top edges of the vanes being coplanar and horizontal.

With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. is a perspective view of an item storage rack made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2. is a perspective view of a single modular shelf unit for use in constructing the item storage rack shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3. is a cross sectional view of a portion of the modular shelf unit shown in FIG. 2.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring firstly to FIG. 1, a drying rack made in accordance with the present invention is shown generally as item 10 and consists of a stack of individual modules 11. At the bottom of the stack 10 is tank 22 for receiving run off water from each of the modules.

Referring now to FIG. 2, each module includes a wall 12, a vertical conduit 16, and an inclined bottom 18 having vanes 20. Wall 12 circumscribes (encloses) a space 14 defined by the wall. Wall 12 is dimensioned and configured so that large objects such as shoes and boots (not shown) can be easily placed in space 14. Wall 12 may be configured into any circumscribing shape, such as a C shape; however, a rectangular shape is preferable with wall 12 including rear wall 24 and side walls 26 and 28. Wall 12 includes a bottom edge 30. Vertical conduit 16 is a substantially cylindrical column having wall 40 and internal passage 42. Vertical conduit 16 has top opening 32, bottom opening 34, side opening 36 and plug portion 38. Side opening 36 is positioned adjacent the bottom opening and between the bottom opening and the top opening. Plug portion 38 is a portion of wall 40 which is defined by a frangible line 44. While wall 12 may be made self supporting, a more rigid structure is created when the wall is supported by four vertical columns 13, 15, 17 and 16. Vertical conduit 16 acts as the fourth column. Columns 13, 15, 16 and 17 have top ends 13 a, 15 a, 16 a and 17 a as well as bottom ends 13 b, 15 b, 16 b and 17 b, respectively. The top ends of the columns and the bottom ends of the columns are dimensioned and configured such that the bottom ends of the columns of one module will mate with the top ends of the columns of a second module immediately below. In this way, when the modules are stacked one atop the other (see FIG. 1), the columns are coaxially aligned to form rigid columns which adds structural strength to the stack.

Again referring to FIG. 2, inclined bottom 18 projects from wall 12 adjacent bottom edge 30. Preferably, bottom 18 is rectangular. Bottom 18 is inclined towards opening 36 so that any water falling on bottom 18 will flow down the bottom and into opening 36. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, vanes 20 project upward from bottom 18. Vanes 20 each have top edge 46. The top edges of all of the vanes are co-planar and horizontal. Vanes 20 are separated by a distance 48 which is selected to be wide enough to permit water to pass between the vanes but narrow enough to prevent items such as shoes or boots (not shown) to rest on top edges 46. Preferably, vanes 20 are separated by a distance of less than one centimeter and more than one millimeter. Vanes 20 may be arranged in a radiating pattern where the vanes radiate away from opening 36, although the vanes may also be arranged in a zig-zag or grid pattern.

Referring back to FIG. 1, modules 11 are stacked one atop the other to form rack 10. As mentioned above, column 16 of each module stack together to form a continuous conduit. This continuous conduit permits water to pass to the lower module from the modules stacked above it. Tank 22 is positioned inside the lowermost module for collecting the water drained from the modules stacked above it. Tank 22 has walls 56, port 52 in walls 56, handle 60 and clear water level indicator 58. To ensure that drainage water flowing through conduit 16 is transferred into tank 22, funnel 50 is positioned in conduit 16 of the lowermost module. Funnel 50 passes through port 54 on the side of conduit 16 and into port 52 of the tank. Port 54 is formed by removing the plug portion 38 (see FIG. 2) by tearing along the frangible line 44. Funnel 50 may then be inserted into conduit 16 by passing the funnel through opening 32 of the lowermost module and then through ports 54 and 52. Water flowing down the conduit from the upper modules will be caught in the funnel, which will pass the water to tank 22. As a result, tank 22 will eventually fill up with drain water, at which point the tank can be removed and emptied. Preferably, port 52 is positioned on the same side of tank 22 as handle 60 so that water does not accidently spill from the tank when the user removes the tank by grasping onto the handle.

The present invention has many advantages over the prior art. Firstly, since the vanes of the module are contiguous with bottom, the entire module can be molded as a single piece from injection molded plastic. This drastically reduces the cost of construction since only one mold would be required and since each of the modules are identical. Also, since the walls of each module circumscribe space 14, wet items placed in space 14 are isolated from any other objects located outside the stacked modules. Hence, the rack can be placed in a closet adjacent clothes without fear that the soiled and wet items placed in the rack will accidentally contact the clothes. Furthermore, since the walls of each module are supported by four columns, and since the columns stack together, the final stack of modules is quite rigid and strong, enabling the rack to support heavy items such as wet boots and shoes.

A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A stackable module for constructing a modular storage rack for receiving items delivering liquid, said stackable module comprising: a circumscribing wall having a bottom edge, a vertical conduit mounted adjacent the wall, the conduit having a top opening, a bottom opening and a side opening positioned between the top and bottom openings, an inclined bottom projecting from the circumscribing wall adjacent the bottom edge of the wall, the bottom being inclined towards the side opening of the vertical conduit for said bottom to direct liquids towards the side opening of the vertical conduit, a plurality of vanes projecting upwards from the bottom, said vanes each having a top edge, the top edges of the vanes being coplanar and horizontal.
 2. A stackable module as defined in claim 1 wherein the vanes radiate from the vertical conduit.
 3. A stackable module as defined in claim 1 wherein the circumscribing wall comprises a rear wall and two side walls, the side walls being perpendicular to the rear wall.
 4. A stackable module as defined in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of vertical support columns for supporting the circumscribing wall, one of said vertical support columns forming the vertical conduit.
 5. A stackable module as defined in claim 1 wherein the bottom forms a rectangle having four corners, each of the corners of the bottom having a vertical column, one of said columns forming the vertical conduit, and wherein the circumscribing wall forms a rear wall and two side walls extending between the columns.
 6. A rack for receiving objects delivering liquids, comprising: a plurality of stackable modules stacked one above the other, each module comprising: a circumscribing wall having a bottom edge, a vertical conduit mounted adjacent the wall, the conduit having a top opening, a bottom opening and a side opening positioned between the top and bottom openings, an inclined bottom projecting from the circumscribing wall adjacent the bottom edge of the wall, the bottom being inclined towards the side opening of the vertical conduit for said bottom to direct liquids towards the side opening of the vertical conduit, a plurality of vanes projecting upwards from the bottom, said vanes each having a top edge, the top edges of the vanes being coplanar and horizontal, and a tank for receiving liquid positioned below the stacked modules, said tank having a port mated to the vertical conduits.
 7. A stackable module as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical conduit of each module has a frangible plug adjacent the upper opening, the frangible plug being removable to form an additional side opening adjacent the upper opening for mating to the port of the tank. 